Ralphieis a 1 year old mixed breed pup who came to us from Yolo County Animal Services after being found as a stray under the I Street Bridge in West Sacramento. Raphie was adopted but sadly returned after the children in the home frightened him. Ralphie is a super sweet boy but shy and a bit fearful upon first meeting people so he needs time to warm up to strangers. He loves other dogs and gains confidence when he's around them so we are requiring that he go to a home with other dogs so he has playmates and the opportunity to build his social skills. He is crate trained, house trained, knows how to use a doggy door, UTD on vaccinations, microchipped and neutered.

Child appropriate? Only over the age of 14. Young children frighten and stress out Ralphie so it's best he live in a home with older children who are more adult-like and have better manners.

Other dog appropriate? Yes! Ralphie LOVES other dogs. Having other dogs around helps him build confidence and come out of his shell. He loves playing chase and tug with other dogs, and after they're finished he loves to cuddle while they take a snooze. His silly, goofy, happy-go-lucky, adventurous, fun self comes out when he's playing with his doggy pals.

Cat appropriate? We feel Ralphie would be okay in a home with a dog savvy cat when proper introductions are facilitated.

How is he/she with strangers? Ralphie is very fearful of new people, and meeting strangers is scary for him. He will bark and appear aggressive out of fear. He does not try and harm anyone, instead he fear barks to protect himself from someone he hasn't made a positive association with yet. We are continuing to work on this fearful behavior with our trainer by increasing his socialization and he is improving. Fortunately, Ralphie loves treats and toys, so associating new faces with these positive incentives help him relax so his goofball, ultra cuddly side can start to shine.

What is his/her play style? When playing with other dogs he is friendly, curious, and rambunctious, typical of a younger dog. He likes to run, wrestle, tug-of-war with toys, and play chase. He has great play style with other dogs and understands and takes correction very well. His foster brother snarks at Ralphie when he gets too silly, so Ralphie immediately accepts the correction, and leaves his brother alone. This is really, really awesome and makes him a great fit with many different dogs. When playing with humans, he absolutely loves to play ball. He will play fetch forever, and drops the toy right at your feet. Ralphie also enjoys playing soccer with jolly balls and is learning how to track down and catch a Kong frisbee in the air. He is goofy and happy and has very typical Lab behavior.

Does he/she like toys? Yes, Ralphie loves all toys! His current foster family has a large basket of dog toys and Ralphie takes his job of making sure each toy gets played with very seriously. Ralphie's favorite toy is a tennis ball, and his favorite game is trying to stuff as many tennis balls as he can into his mouth at a time! Ralphie also loves stuffy toys, especially when he gets to tear them up for fun. At the end of a long day, Ralphie enjoys settling down on his bed and chewing on his nylabone, benebone, and hard chew toys.

Does he/she like water? His foster parents have a pool, and Ralphie likes to drink from it. He will also crouch down by the edge of the pool to retrieve any toys that have fallen in the water, but because the water is too cold to swim in it is currently unknown if he likes water.

Does he/she like car rides? Ralphie does fine riding in the car, especially when his doggy brother is there to show him how to relax and sleep in the sun. He rides nicely and calmly, and usually falls fast asleep.

Exercise level needed? Ralphie needs daily activity such as walks and playtime to get out his young energy. He would enjoy hiking, going on runs, and leading an active lifestyle. Having a dog companion also helps get his energy out as he will play around and wrestle as much as the other dog will play with him. He does relax and enjoys spending time napping in the sun, sleeping on his family member's laps, and cuddling during movie time.

Behavior issues? Ralphie's only behavior issue is his fear of strangers. He simply is overwhelmed when meeting new people and will bark and appear aggressive. As mentioned previously, we are working on this with him. He has never tried to bite anyone, he just barks so they will go away and leave him alone. To help Ralphie overcome his fear we give him treats and try to associate new people with good things like yummy cheese, bacon flavored beggin strips, and milkbones. Ralphie is able to warm up to new people after a few minutes and will then come over and ask for affection.

Medical issues? None known. He is currently eating grain-free food and his black coat is very shiny and beautiful.​Skills? Ralphie knows several obedience commands in addition to being house and crate trained. Currently, he knows touch, sit, and shake with both hands. Ralphie knows lay down, but he has his own special version where he rolls onto his side and puts both paws up in the air. Ralphie is currently receiving impulse control training. His foster parents ask him to hold a sit while they fill his food bowl for breakfast and dinner. Then they place the bowl on the floor and ask him to wait until the is told to "go ahead" and eat. Ralphie has also learned how to "wait" at doors for his humans to walk through first and then invite him to follow them through. To set boundaries for Ralphie and give him structure, his foster parents don't allow dog toys in their bedroom, instead they ask him to drop them at the door before he enters.

Special/endearing things? Even though Ralphie is young, he likes to let out old man groans when he is laying down and relaxing. He also loves to cuddle with him humans and doggy brother at night. Ralphie is silly, goofy, happy, and all things Lab-like. He is very curious and loves to explore by sniffing everything. He loves to play with his toys, run around with his doggy friends, and he's incredibly sweet.

Ideal home: Ralphie would do best in a home that doesn't have a lot of visitors, and he would thrive in a home with another dog. Even though he's improving and undergoing training to help with his fear of strangers, we feel that a quieter home will be the best option for him. A home that has tons of family and friends who regularly come over or one that likes to entertain frequently would be setting Ralphie up for failure. Having a quiet home doesn't mean visitors can never come over. Additionally, giving him a safe spot to escape from the stress of a few guests is very easy to do. Placing his crate in a quiet room and putting him in the crate with a stuffed Kong, nylabone, and other yummy treats, and leaving him there while visitors are over will help him succeed. A home who understands shy dogs and appreciates their uniqueness is a must! Shy dogs have tons of love to give their family if their family understands their needs. His ideal home must have at least one other doggy companion because Ralphie loves playing with other dogs and it helps him come out of his shell. We want him to have a buddy to help make the world less scary and give him the friendship he loves.

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